🖋 Legend #24: Leonard Cohen – The Poet of Song

 

🖋 Legend #24: Leonard Cohen – The Poet of Song

If Bob Dylan was the troubadour of America, Leonard Cohen was the poet-priest of Canada. Born in 1934 in Montreal, Cohen began as a novelist and poet before transitioning into music — a move that brought literature into the heart of song.

His voice was deep and gravelly, but it was his lyrics that set him apart. Songs like Suzanne, Bird on the Wire, and Dance Me to the End of Love blend mysticism, romance, and philosophy. Perhaps his most famous song, Hallelujah, has been covered by hundreds of artists and remains one of the most beloved and spiritually resonant songs of all time.

Cohen’s music is about contradictions — sacred yet sensual, political yet personal, sorrowful yet hopeful. He performed into his eighties, leaving behind a body of work that continues to comfort and challenge listeners around the world.

✨ At the Global Musical Village:

• Cohen’s Poetry Hall – A space for spoken word, acoustic sets, and lyrical reflections.

• Songwriters’ Retreat – Workshops for aspiring musicians inspired by Cohen’s craft.

• Hall of Hallelujahs – A multimedia installation where global choirs perform Cohen’s masterpiece.